Hi, I am on the market for buying a camcorder. One that is small, feature rich, inexpensive and produces great video (and maybe stills). I don't have much experience with the formats. I see Digital8, MiniDV, MiniDVD, Hi8, VHS-C and S VHS-C. What do all these mean? I know the MiniDVD will be one of the most expensive, so maybe it's not for me. I have a budget of $400 and below. I need one that can also take pictures in low light conditions, compact as well. Also any that will allow me to make copies on regular VHS tapes to give to friends etc and maybe to transfer to my PC whenever I get the know how. Can someone clarify the formats and/or make any recommendations for cameras out there now? I only buy from Circuitcity or Bestbuy stores. I don't do online shopping. Is there any that fits my criteria? I am not a professional, but would like a nice camera that does a good job, though not necessarily a Hollywood Great of a job. Thanks.
Hi Selmor, I just bought my first camcorder, A JVC-DVL 720U. I paid $400.00 for it at Sears, of all places. It was a return so I got it pretty cheap. I think they are retailing for about $600 or so. Its a miniDV which is a small cassette that fits into the camera. I noticed that the mini DVD cameras were much more expensive. I think you want to get a miniDV like mine. I have been putting my stuff onto a DVD and the quality is pretty good. The JVC takes stills as well but they look terrible compared to my regular 2.0 megapixel still camera. Its really easy to get the video onto your PC. You will need a firewire connection for the DV out. Make sure your computer has one. If you have Windows XP, you can make nice little edited features with your footage. Just use Windows Movie Maker that comes with XP. I shop at Circus City all the time and I'm sure your customer service will be better than what I got at Sears. Your choices are going to be a bit limited with $400 to spend so it shouldn't be that hard to find something. You don't have to worry about a lot of features, cameras in that price range won't have a lot, but like buying any new digital product there will still be plenty to learn. The quality of your projects depends a lot on how well you can operate the camera, not as much as the features. go for a good lens and as many pixels as you can. I'm a newbie when it comes to these camcorders so my advice is pretty limited. Cheers, Frank
